Why are Pakistani Blades so Cheap?

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Yeah! That's what I was talking about from the ad in back of the boys life magazine. Looks like the same exact thing

They had this boot knife you show, a Bowie, a folder that looked like a stiletto. A probably a few more I can't remember.
 
Quiet said:
The bacteria under that guy's toenails must be vile. I have to assume you're just playing Devil's advocate here, because if I saw this happening at a place I was seated at, I'm leaving immediately. Human beings have crevices, and those crevices are usually a hotbed of microbial activity. This guy's food stand is a hard no for me.
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And all those microbes would be killed off when the meat is cooked. Would I want to eat it? Fuck no that’s gross. But technically speaking, as long as the meat is cooked, that man’s toe critters will be killed off and it should be safe to eat.
 
kafolarbear said:
And all those microbes would be killed off when the meat is cooked. Would I want to eat it? Fuck no that’s gross. But technically speaking, as long as the meat is cooked, that man’s toe critters will be killed off and it should be safe to eat.
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I think what amuses me in this defense of some dude in an absolute open sewer of a third world country is that you're making the assumption that some dude who looks like he's never even heard the term "food" and "clean" in the same sentence could be trusted to cook it properly.

"This dude is using his nasty unwashed feet to prepare this food, but I'm sure he's a Michelin Starred chef who'll prepare that nasty meat to perfection, don't worry!"

LMAOOO Some folks, man, I swear.
 
Quiet said:
I think what amuses me in this defense of some dude in an absolute open sewer of a third world country is that you're making the assumption that some dude who looks like he's never even heard the term "food" and "clean" in the same sentence could be trusted to cook it properly.

"This dude is using his nasty unwashed feet to prepare this food, but I'm sure he's a Michelin Starred chef who'll prepare that nasty meat to perfection, don't worry!"

LMAOOO Some folks, man, I swear.
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All I said was if it's cooked, the microbes will get killed off. I'm not quite sure why you're trying to be argumentative or where you're getting any Michelin star comparisons from when I quite clearly stated I found the whole toe nail cutting thing disgusting and wouldn't eat it even though the microbes would almost certainly be destroyed in the cooking process.

And actually in third world countries, they usually cook the meat very thoroughly due to sanitary concerns. I've discovered that cooking something medium rare is pretty much unheard of in parts of the world like this.
 
kafolarbear said:
All I said was if it's cooked, the microbes will get killed off. I'm not quite sure why you're trying to be argumentative or where you're getting any Michelin star comparisons from when I quite clearly stated I found the whole toe nail cutting thing disgusting and wouldn't eat it even though the microbes would almost certainly be destroyed in the cooking process.

And actually in third world countries, they usually cook the meat very thoroughly due to sanitary concerns. I've discovered that cooking something medium rare is pretty much unheard of in parts of the world like this.
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Food prepared in unsanitary conditions is still going to be unsanitary, which is what I'm trying (and seemingly failing) to get across. People cook chicken properly and still sometimes get salmonella poisoning all the time when they cook the meat, then set it down on a surface that hasn't been properly cleaned because their cleanliness procedures are garbage (rather like cutting raw meat with dirty-ass toenails*). I just went back and gutted through that thing, and didn't see a single clean surface for the guy to rest thoroughly cooked meat on, so basically, having cooked it doesn't matter. I'm just frankly surprised that there are folks commenting after seeing that GIF like "I'm sure it's totally fine!" I mean, wow. How many poor decisions in your life would you have had to have made in order to be reduced to having to eat somewhere like that...whew, glad it's not me, I can tell you that.


* What are the odds he cleans his feet after he's done for the day?
 
stabman said:
Pakistan by and large makes garbage knives.
We used to buy Pakistan daggers all the time from the used furniture store when we were 12 years old; brass guard and pommel, wood handle. Those daggers were probably the best Pakistan knives I have encountered. The steel was soft, but they didn't break easily.

I kind of miss my old crappy Pakistan dagger.

I got one for nostalgia's sake a couple years back, but it wasn't quite as neat:

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I think the Pakistan knives got even worse over the last few decades.
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I had a nearly identical boot knife in the early 90s. I picked it up at a flea market for like ten bucks.
 
Yes, cross contamination, no way I would eat at that guys stand. If he has a dirty foot cutting meat the rest of his "kitchen" is dirty!

I remember being young in the 80's buying a Pakistan lock back at flea markets. Trash, and we new it back then trying to sharpen the dang thing
 
That guy cutting meat with toe nail is pretty close but not quite as gross as the clip where Chinese street food stand got ”grease” for their fryer from sevage system.
 
I travel a bit, and never eat street food from any country. I know it is fashionable to do so but I choose not to, even in developed countries.
The idea that just because someone is operating from a street "kitchen" their food will be a culinary revelation puzzles me.
I like refrigeration, clean surfaces and someone that can be held accountable if they poison people. There are many small B&M restaurants/cafes and so on where you can try the local food, safer.

I also avoid raw vegetables and tap water (which they use to wash the vegetables) in many countries too. I have seen many brave food connoisseurs get diarrhea by trying what some locals were eating.

Even if a food is safe for the local population you may not have the same immunity to the bacteria of the area.

Back to topic, Pakistani knives are not my thing, but they can look nice.
 
To be absolutely clear...the floor spice comment was said tongue in cheek.

One of the reasons I have never gotten sick from eating street food in countries like India, Afghanistan, Ghana, Gabon, Cameroon, Senegal, Honduras, Thailand, and about a dozen others, is you can see them prepare the meal. Most of these places actually practice relatively sanitary cooking practices (using clean water, fresh meats, cooking at the appropriately high temp.) The key is knowing what your digestive system can handle, what foods can be safely consumed by locals and by visitors (such as some of the water filled fried dough balls in Old Delhi, I know my system probably could not handle the local water, un-boiled. I also stay away from leafy greens that I haven't personally prepared.)

These places prep the food in front of you and cook it in front of you. You run a higher risk of getting sick in a sit down restaurant where you do not know how the food is prepared or how long it sits out or the sanitary conditions they use when handling food. (If anyone is going to BLADE this year, hit me up in the pit and I'll tell you about the diplomatic function for USD/I(CT) we had where I got REALLY sick eating at a 5-star restaurant.)

And to come full circle, same theory can apply to knives of questionable origin, regardless of country. Unknown steel type, heat treat or design qualities can leave you a bit "sick" of a knife bought from Pakistan, India, China, or even some in the US.
 
Chronovore said:
I got out the hardness testing files and scratched it with a 40!
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Ah, smart! I don't have "testing files" but I have a pretty decent toolbox. Can you think of anything I can use to test the ones I have? If they're all soft I won't buy another. I'm considering an "expensive* ($40) one online, as a sort of camp knife. I don't expect miracles of course.
 
JC972 said:
Very poor heart treat to say the least.
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Yeah, that's the concern. I actually thought that might not be true, just because Pakistan and India have such big steel industries. Maybe there's a way I can test the ones I already have.

Anyway, thanks for the reply!
navman said:
Don't think that praising them here is going to be received well, though.
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Yeah I'm noticing that. Didn't expect it, but I guess I should have. I learned a couple of years ago that there is very little working knife appreciation here, I think most people here are collectors and weekend warriors.

There could be more behind some of the replies, but I find it best just to ignore people who are clearly afraid of life.

Not you of course. Thank you for your reply.
Chronovore said:
They are made of melted down tin cans by people who work for peanuts. Seriously, stay away.

When I was new to Instagram, I got taken by a "custom knife maker" who pretended to be American and claimed to use 12C27. I was surprised when the package said "Pakistan". It was not an expensive knife or anything but holy crap was it a piece of trash. I got out the hardness testing files and scratched it with a 40! 😮

Luckily, I paid by Paypal so I got my money back. #lessonlearned
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Thanks for the warning. I'm not going to get taken, I'm just trying to figure out why I shouldn't be enjoying this knife as much as I do. And now I'm considering buying an "expensive" one ($40) online, so no big deal.

I have all of the real-use field knives I need, so I'm really just having fun.
 
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